Thermostat.



M. J. BRIGGS. THERMOSTAT. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 8, 1908.

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' Specification of Letters Patent.

resented' May 1e, 1911.

To all whom fit may concern:

Be it known that I, MnLANo'rHoN J. Barcos, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Thermostat, of which the following is a specification..

My invention is concerned with the con! 'in the surrounding atmosphere, protected therefrom cy being inclosed in` an air and water tight compartment.

Another object of the invention is to so increase the distance between the contacts as to greatly reduce the liability to false or accidental alarms.

A further object is to secure two successive and distant alarms at diderent degrees of temperature.

Still another object is to readily adjust and to change the adjustment of the thermostat t0 any degree of temperaturethat may be desired.

In carrying out my' invention, employ an elongated tube or case, closed at both ends, so as to be impervious to bothA air and water, as the expansible member of the therein all the other operative parts of 'the thermostat, except j 4 expansible member may be composed of any `substance which expands with heat' and oontracts with cold, but preferably of zinc or brass, and inclosed therein is anadjustable base, preferably of wood, to which is pivotally attached Ia lever'- cbnductor, the short arm of which engages the end of the expansible member and its long. arm 'acted' 'upon by aspring closes electrical circuitsv when the case of the thermostat lis expanded by heat. l a

My invention further consists of an adjusting screw with an indicating arm thereon, set in a scaled dial affixed to one 'end of said tube 0r case, which' screw acts upon the .Y

v which will expand .and

Application led June, 1908. Serial No. 437,463.v

inclosedibase by which the thermostat vmay be adjusted to close an electrical circuit 'at any predetermined degree of temperature.

It still further consists of a plurality of electricalcontacts so arranged as to close a second electrical circuit and thereby give a second or further signal when the temperature increases a predetermined number of degrees above that at which the first circuit is closed.

It still further consists of a lever conductor pivotally secured to an adjustable base and so engaging the expansible member with its short arm that the force exerted by the spring acting ony its long arm always acts in one direction both when the thermostat is expanding and contracting thus avoiding any lost motion when changing, whereby the efficiency of the usual indicating mechanism is seriously impaired.

It further consists of other novel details of construction which will be hereinafter fully set forth.

My invention 1s illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which- Figure l, represents the thc interior mechanism of athermostat embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents a section on line of Figi. Fig. 3 is a detail showing the dial -with scale thereon and the adjusting screw with indicating finger thereon, upon one lend of the thermostat. Fig. ed is a cross sectional view.

Thelsame gures designate the same parts throughoutthe -drawin s. v

For the purpose of illustrating my invention, l have shown in said drawings one form thereof which is at'present preferred 'by me, since the same has been found in practice to give satisfactory and reliable results, although it is to be understood that the various instrumentalitiesuof which my invention consists, can be variously arranged and organized, and it is not -limited to the precise arrangement and organization of these instrumentalities as herein shown and described.,

1 designates te oxpansible member composed. of any suitable metal 0r, substance, A contract under very slight changes of temperature, in the` presfront elevation of roo any form of a case so constructed as to inrlosc the other oper: ive parts of the thermostat in an air and water tight compartment, so that said parts so iucloscd in said exj'iansible member may not be atie/ted by gases or u'ioisture inv the atmosphere surrounding the thermostat.

d csionates an adjustablebase supporting ie several parts of the thermostat other than the expansible member, and is prefer; y made up of a thin piece of wood or some other noncondufaing material but lit- ,le anccted by changes of temperature, having a .metal tip 8 upon one end thereof, in which is a socket 16 tting the end of the adjusting screw This base E tits Closely upon the inside of the expansible member 1, yet so loosely as to permit its free movement longitudinally therein. It is supported 1n position by the adjusting screw 5 in the socket 1G and by the other extremity thereof passing between the blocks 6 and 7 firmly aixed to the end 1/1- of the expansible member 1, but so loosely that it may move or slide longitudinally between said blocks.

5 designates the adjusting screw with indicating arm thereon. This screw passes through a threaded hole in the center of the dial plate 15 and .the end 13 of the expansible member 1 and enters the socket 1G in the center of the metal tip 8 on the base Q, thus supporting in position that end of thel base 2, and by its action adjusting the thermostat by moving said base 2 longitudinally therein. By turning the adjusting screw to the right the base 2 is forced upward between the blocks 6 and 7 the short arm of the lever 3 in contact with the block 6 is forced downward, and the long arm thereof is forced against the tension of the spring 4, to the left and away from the contact is laid oif upon the dial plate 15, so Aspaced upon each side of the thermostat, that the movement of the indicating arm upon the adjusting screw 5, of one space of said scale, makes a change of one degree in the temperature required to close the rst circuit.

designates the conducting lever, made osome conducting Amaterial, preferably brass, .which is pivotally connected to the base 2, by means of the metal screw or pin 9, sothat its short arm engages the face of the block 6, at or near the center thereof, and its long arm extends nearly to the other eX- tremity of the base 2, so as to engage the contact 10. By my novel form of connection o'c the lever 8, with the expansible member 1, it will be seen that the pressure upon the pivot 9, always acts in one direction, both when the expansible member is contracting vand when 1t is expanding.

impaired orY l l l. l

I l l 10. A scale l -of temperature.

et designates a spring, one end of which is rigidly aflixed to the base 2, and the other engages the long arm of the lever 3, with a tension sui'licient to force the same against the contact 10 and to carry it in turn against the contact 17, when and as the short arm of said lever 3, shall be suiliciently relieved from the pressure of the block 6, by thc expansion of the expansiblc member 1. 10X designates a flexible spring contact preferably made of German silver, placed on the said bascv2, in the path of the long arm of lever conductor 3, so constructed and placed"thatjt will yield to the pressure of the said leversandmspring back to its normal p position when suclpressurecisnremoved. 'its normal position can be adjusted Yin'reference to the contact 17, so that when the tem# perature shall have increased a predetermined number of degrees, the lever 3 will cause it to engage the said rigid contact 17.

17 designates a secord contact attached to the base 2, which, when engaged by the flexible spring' contact 10, when it is in electrical contact with the lever 3, will close a second electrical circuit.

12 designates an insulated Wire electrically connccted with the pivot 9, and passing through a hermetically sealed hole in the end 14: of the ,eXpansible member 1, and connected to one pole of an electric battery.

1l and 18 respectively designate insulated wires respectively connected to the contacts 10, and 14, and passing through hermetically sealed holes in the end, 14, of theexpansible member 1, and each thence passing through their respective armatures connected with bells, annunciators and the like,l to the op posite pole of Vsaid electric battery.

The operation of my device, will it is believed, be perfectly clear from the foregoing.

In practice, the thermostat may be set to close the first circuitv by means of the adjustable screw 5, at any predetermined degree Should the thermostat be subjected to that degree of heat,.the expansible member 1, will expand so as to relieve the pressure of the block 6 upon the short arm of the lever 3, stantly take this up and move the long arm of the lever to the right and against the contact 10, thus closingthe first circuit. Should the temperature continue to increase the Horrible spring contact 10, will be forced by the pressure of said lever 3 until it engages the second contact 17, thereby closing the second circuit. When a falling temperature causes the contraction of the expansible member 1, the block 6, will press upon the short arm of the lever 3, overcoming the tension of the spring 4., and force the long arm of the said lever 3 to the left and away from the contact 10, which will then spring back the spring 4 will in- .to its normal position away troni the contact A ot unequal iength eeaefii i7, thus-opening the circuits,

Having described claim asnevv Land desire to secure by Letters atent, is f.-

1. in a device of the character described,

an eX Jansible member consistinff of a closed tube, an adjustable base inciosed therein and extending longitudinal-ly thereot', ineens at one end of said tube for supporting and moving said base longitudinally of said tube,

the other end of said base being free to ni'ove. longitudinally', a lever conductor pivoted on said base near its :tree end, and having arrns ot' unequal length the snort arin ot which is in contact with the adjacent end ot said tube, a spring, one end of which is affixed to said base and the other engages the long arin of said lever conductor, and contacts in the path of said lever conductor.

2. in a device of the character described,`-

an expansible member consisting of a closed tube or case, an adjustable base inclosed therein, an adjusting screw threaded through one end ot said tube or case and attached to and supporting one end of said base, blocks 'afiizred to the opposite end ot said tube or case and 'supporting the other end of said base, between which said blocks, said base can' be inoved longitudinally, a lever con ductor pivoted on said base and having arms the short arni thereot1 engaging one of .said blocks, a spring one end of which is aiiixed to said base, the other end engaging the iongarm ot said lever conductor, electrical contactsin the path of the long arm of said lever conductor so arranged that the lever will close tivo distinct circuits successively.

3. In a device of the character described, an exipansible member consisting of a lier nietically closed tubeor case, an adjustable base therein, an'adjusting sere-vv threaded through one end ot said tube or case and holding said base in position, blocks rigidly atiixed tothe other end of said tube or case between which blocks said base han inove or slide longitudinally', a lever conductor pivoted on said base and havingarins of unequal length the short arin there/ot engaging one of said blocks, a spring one end of which is aitixed to said base, tli'eother end engaging the long arm of said lever-con doctor, a of the long arinot said lever conductor, 'which will yield to the pressure thereof caused by the tension of the said spring, and return to its normal position when such pressure is removed and a second electrical contact which ivili be engaged by said spring Contact when it 'has been sufficiently deflected freni its normal position hy the continued pressure said lever.

my invention what l' arm engaging iexible spring contact in the patha. ln a device of the character described,

an expansible nieniber consisting of an elongated tube or case herinetically closed, an adjustable base inclesed in said tube or case, a lever conductor pivoted en said base and having arrns of unequal length its short arm' 'engaging one end of said `electrical Contact in the path tube or case, an of the long arinof said lever conductor, a spring engaging and actuating said lever conductor, a

diei laid ott with a upon the exterior ene end of said tube or case, an adjusting screw threaded through the end of said tube or case and engaging the end of said base', and an indicating arin or poi ter upon the exterior endet said adjustingscrevv engaging the scale upon said dial. i

5. ln a device of the character described, an expansible nieinber-consistin or an elongated tube or case hermetical y closed, a

base inclosed .in said tube or case,

conductor pivoted on said base andhaving arms of unequal llength its short arin engaging said tube or case, an electrical contact in the path. ofthe long erin of said lever conductor, a spring engaging and actuating lthe said leverconductor and inea-ns for adjusting the thermostat. i

\ 6. in an apparatus `ot the character described an expansible member consisting of an elongated tube or .case herinetically closed, an adjustable base inclosed in said tube or a lever I case, a lever conduct-or pivoted thereon, and

having arins of unequal length its short arm engaging one end et said 'tube or case, a spring aiiixed to said base and engaging the long arm o/f said lever conductor, an electrical contact in thepath oic said long arm, and a screw vthreaded through the end of saidtube or case and engaging the end ot said'base by Awhich it may be adjusted,

7., lin an apparatus of the character described an expansible ineinber consisting of' a hernietically closed tube or case, an adjustable b'ase, inclose'd Within said tube or case, a lever conductor having arins of unequal length and pivotedou said base, itsshort one end ot said tube or case, a spring one end aiixed to said base and its tree end engaging the long arm of said lever conductor, an electrical contactv in the path of said long arm and external means Jfor ady justing the thermostat by moving inc losed base longitudinally.

the said 8. in a device 'ot the character described,

an expansible ineinber consisting of an elongated tube or case hernietically closed, a base inclosedin said tube or case, means for adjusting said base, alever conductor piv' cozlltacts in the path lever conductor by which twoflistinct crcmts may be closed successn'eljy.

9. ln a device f an expanslble memb metcally closed case, a base nclosd in said Case, a. lever cominci and having arms of arm 01" Suid lever conduolo' engaging' a Splmg engaging lever conductor, an alecm-leal @outact in o1' pivocfl on said bass unequal length, l-lw 5h05?,

che cl] ciel' described er consisting of :s hel tol',

closed.

lu' lil ORAGE lli'. "lmngumg FRANK GMD? JG.

icl lever cn'cu 1t have signo@ my o wllwssoxg lin.' 

